Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston subway stations (particularly on the Red Line, as noted by the name she chose for her music and lyric publishing company, On the Red Line Music.)
She has claimed that she had a romantic relationship with Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain before the group's rise to mainstream fame. This claim was disputed by some, including Cobain himself, though it has been suggested that Cobain's wife Courtney Love made him publicly lie about his past relationships to prove his devotion to her. In 1994, Lord showed up uninvited at a party for Courtney Love's band Hole, which ended with Love chasing Lord down Sunset Strip.
Lord toured three separate times with Elliott Smith during the 1990s. He also wrote and helped Lord record a song called, "I Figured You Out", in 1997. Smith would later say that, "I gave that song away 'cause I thought it sounded like The Eagles and that it sucked."
Her recordings have been a mixture of covers (including songs by Elliott Smith and Richard Thompson) and original material, with a number of songs written by, or in collaboration with, Nick Saloman of the British band The Bevis Frond.
Her recording of Daniel Johnston's "Speeding Motorcycle" (which was originally featured on her self-titled 8-song Kill Rock Stars release) was featured in commercials for Target stores, after which her label reissued the song as the lead-off track of a CD single which also included two demo recordings from the sessions for Got No Shadow.
In 2001, Lord released Live City Sounds. This was a self-released disc of Mary Lou playing live in the Boston subway. The disc was later re-released after Mary Lou signed to Rubric Records.
She announced in 2005 that she suffered from a rare vocal chord affliction known as spasmodic dysphonia. She thereafter became more involved in A&R work and started Jittery Jack Management with her husband, Kevin Patey.
Martian Saints
Mary Lou Lord Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw the world turn red I picked off my new tattoo
I cut out pictures of days on end
I tear up paper and wait for Martian Saints to descend
I woke up in a shallow sweat I went back to sleep again
I walked around my room I called up my ex-boyfriend
I said you're the reason I'm in this mess
I see them flying round the mirror
I know they're coming for me soon
Now I play my favorite tune I bemoan my lonely fate
My last few days on earth spin in this stateless state
And I hear the engines above the trees
You tell the people about the Martian Saints for me
The lyrics to Mary Lou Lord's song "Martian Saints" offer a glimpse into a troubled and disturbed mind. The singer is clearly suffering from some form of mental illness or anxiety, as evidenced by the reference to cutting out pictures and waiting for Martian Saints to descend. This suggests a longing for escape or some sort of supernatural intervention to save her from her troubles.
The reference to a new tattoo further indicates a sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction with one's own identity or body. The singer is searching for something to cling onto, but it is ultimately not enough to save her from her own inner turmoil. This is suggested by the repetition of phrases like "I went out and did my head" and "I saw the world turn red" - these are symptoms of a deeper psychological issue.
The final lines, "You tell the people about the Martian Saints for me," suggest that the singer is either anticipating being taken away by the aliens or is simply no longer capable of communicating with others in a coherent way. The song is a haunting portrait of a mind in distress, and speaks to the human longing for connection and escape in the face of one's own limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
I went out and did my head I came home and thought about you
I went out, indulged in some form of reckless behavior or substance abuse, then returned home and couldn't stop thinking about you.
I saw the world turn red I picked off my new tattoo
I experienced some intense emotion that caused the world to appear red, and in a moment of regret or impulsiveness, I removed my newly acquired tattoo.
I cut out pictures of days on end
I spend long stretches of time cutting out pictures, perhaps in an attempt to remember or immortalize precious moments.
I tear up paper and wait for Martian Saints to descend
In a moment of despair or hopelessness, I tear up paper while waiting for something strange or supernatural to happen.
I woke up in a shallow sweat I went back to sleep again
I woke up from a nightmare, in a cold sweat, but was too terrified to stay awake, so I went back to sleep.
I walked around my room I called up my ex-boyfriend
I paced around my room, feeling lost and alone, and eventually called my ex-boyfriend, perhaps for comfort or closure.
I said you're the reason I'm in this mess When they show up I'll give the Martian Saints your address
I blamed my ex-boyfriend for the emotional turmoil I was experiencing, and in an agitated state, made a threat to give his address to some otherworldly beings.
I see them flying round the mirror
I hallucinate or imagine seeing strange beings flying around my mirror.
I know they're coming for me soon
I am convinced that these beings are coming to take me away or do something to me.
Now I play my favorite tune I bemoan my lonely fate
In an attempt to comfort myself or distract from my troubles, I listen to my favorite song, but ultimately feel sorry for myself.
My last few days on earth spin in this stateless state
I feel like I am in a limbo-like state where I am neither here nor there, perhaps in anticipation of some impending doom.
And I hear the engines above the trees
I perceive or imagine hearing strange engines or sounds coming from above the trees.
You tell the people about the Martian Saints for me
In a desperate plea, I ask someone to spread the word or warn others about the Martian Saints.
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.